By Opeyemi Adelakun
The Federal Government has launched a five-year national strategy to tackle alcohol-related harm, strengthen regulation and curb the growing trade in illicit alcoholic products across Nigeria.
The Nigeria Alcohol Policy and Multisectoral Implementation Plan 2026–2030 was unveiled in Abuja on Thursday as the government brought together key ministries, agencies and other stakeholders to coordinate efforts against the health, social and economic consequences of alcohol consumption.
The new framework is expected to drive interventions covering public education, responsible alcohol marketing, age restrictions, access control, screening, treatment and rehabilitation.
It also seeks to improve safety, product quality and traceability throughout the alcohol supply chain.
Speaking at the launch, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Daju Kachollom, said the scale of alcohol-related harm required action beyond the health sector.
Pate said the problem affected public health, economic development and governance, making coordinated action among government institutions and stakeholders essential.
He said, “Nigeria cannot address alcohol-related harm through fragmented interventions. We need coordination across sectors, clear responsibilities and accountability for results.”
The implementation plan is built around four key pillars: harm reduction and health promotion; industrial and economic development; multisectoral coordination and governance; and monitoring, evaluation and accountability.
Pate cited the latest available data from the World Health Organisation, which put Nigeria’s total alcohol consumption at 3.2 litres of pure alcohol per person aged 15 and above in 2024.
He also drew attention to the relationship between alcohol use and road safety, citing Federal Road Safety Corps figures showing that 9,570 road traffic crashes and 5,421 deaths were recorded nationwide in 2024.
According to him, driving under the influence of alcohol remains a recognised contributor to road crashes, making stronger prevention and enforcement measures necessary.
The Federal Government also expressed concern over the size of Nigeria’s illicit alcohol market.
Pate, citing industry estimates from the Spirits and Wines Association of Nigeria based on a 2024 Euromonitor survey, said illicit spirits and wines accounted for about 40 per cent of the market.
He added that the illicit trade was estimated to result in more than N428bn in annual government revenue losses.
The government said the figures demonstrate that alcohol regulation is not only a public health issue but also an economic and governance concern.
In a welcome address, the Director of Food and Drugs Services, Dr Olufowubi-Yusuf Adeola, described the launch as a major milestone in efforts to improve alcohol governance.
She urged stakeholders to ensure that the policy did not remain a document of commitments but was translated into practical and measurable action.
The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare also called on traditional and religious leaders, civil society groups and the media to support the implementation through advocacy, public education and community engagement.
The Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, welcomed the policy, describing it as an unambiguous direction for alcohol control in the country.
Adeyeye reaffirmed NAFDAC’s commitment to science-based regulation, surveillance, monitoring and engagement with relevant stakeholders.
She also reiterated the agency’s position on small-volume alcohol products, stressing that the ban on the sale of alcohol in sachets and containers below 200 millilitres remained in effect.
The launch attracted representatives from the Federal Ministries of Finance and Industry, Trade and Investment, as well as the Nigerian Correctional Service, Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Road Safety Corps, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Association of Local Governments of Nigeria and other stakeholders.
The stakeholders pledged to collaborate in implementing the five-year plan.
The Federal Government said the policy is aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative and Nigeria’s commitments under the African Union Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals.
It also aligns with relevant World Health Organisation frameworks on alcohol control.
The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare said it would work with government agencies, industry stakeholders and civil society organisations to ensure the 2026–2030 framework moves beyond policy formulation and delivers measurable results in reducing alcohol-related harm across Nigeria.
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